Method of treating hydrocarbons



Feb. 119, 1924.

c. P. DUBBS I METHOD OF TREATING HYDROCARBONS Original Filed Nov. 18, 1914 Treating To all who-m it'mag cancer-n:

Patented Feb. 1%,,1924.

. U N ll T S A? Lamas g PATENTYQFFHCE.

CARBONP. poses, or WILMETTE, ILL'INors, assreivon 'ro umvnnslin on. rnonuc'ns COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION SOUTH DAKOTA.

[METHOD TREATING HYDROCARBONS.

I Original application filed November 18, 1914, Serial No. 872,698. Divided and this application filed 'Be it known that I. Cannon P.DUBBS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Wilmette, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Hydrocarbons, of which the following is va specification. This application is a division of an original application filed by me in the United States Patent Oflice, Serial No. 872,698, filed Nov. 18, 1914:.

The invention relates to a method of treating hvdro carbons and refers more particularly to the cracking of petroleum 011s .and the "specific purposeof the present application is more particularly directed to the method of condensing certain of the cracked vapors.

By means of .the present invention the generated vapors may be first subjected to a definitely controlled reflux condensing action in which the temperature of the reflux condenser is positively controlled during any stage of the cracking operation whereby a distillate of the desired character is obtained; to provide a process in which the vapors when subjected to a reflux condensing action are caused to travel alternately in substantially horizontal and then vertical directions; to provide a process in which the vapors may be subjected to the reflux condensing action of cooling fluids whereby the temperature of thereflux condenser is controlled; to provide a novel form of apparatus to carry out the above described method and in general to provide improvements of the character referred to.

- In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view,"

partly'in side'elevation, and partly in ver- 7 tical cross section of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through .one of I the bafile plate'tubes.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the still mounted on furnace supports 2, provided with" an inlet filling valve-controlled pipe 3 and liquid valve controlled drawofl pipe 4. Pyrometer wells 5, safety pressure valve 6 are also provided. Extending down into the still is a steam pipe 7 connected at its lower end with a horizontally extending perforate ighe pipe 7 is provided with pr re gauge pipe 8.

February 28, 1921.

Serial No. $48,735. 1

9, throttle valve 10 andpyrometer 11. The pipe 7 connects to steam supply pipe 12 in which may be interposed a pump 13 to a reflux condenser 22 enclosed by a cooling jacket 21. Thisjacket 21*receives water or another temperature controlling medium which circulates through said jacket, and by means of which the temperature of the reflux condenser is controlled. 'llhecooling fluid that passes through this jacket maintains the reflux condenser at such a temperature as to condense and return to the still those vapors which do not have a low enough boiling point, that is to say, when making gasoline from heavier hydrocarbons, subh stantally the gasoline-like vaporsare sep-' arate in this condenser from the heavier less-volatile vapors, which heavier vapors as reflux condensate are recracked.

final condensation as a volatile 'oil contain- Theif gasoline-like vapors are recovered after a sure distillate. the product from all crack H ing plants. It is to be particularly noted that the reflux condenser is so arranged to provide alternate, horizontal and vertical passages through which the vapors are compelled totravel thus causing a continued back andforth movement in horizontal and vertical lines, of the vapors. The vapors which are condensed will fall back into the still '1.

I also provide a means for cutting out the reflux condenser through the lay-passpipe 23 or 24, the various pipes being controlled by throttle valves 25, 26 and 2?. The valve 28 is alsoprovidcd preferably interposed in the pipe. 23.- To the lett of the valve 28 is an upright 29 controlled by throttle valve 31 and leading to the air condenser 30. The pipe 34L leads from the upper end of the. air condenser 30 and is controlled by throttle valve 35. Likevvise,

a ipe leads from the upper end of: the reflux 2 valves 47.

condenser 22 and is controlled by throttle valve 36. Delivery pipe 32 controlled by throttle valve 38 leads "to the water condenser coil seated in condenser box 20'. a To the outlet side of the condenser is conelected a cross .39, one end of which is con-' nected to a pipe controlled by the weighted valve 40, the upper endof which is connected to-a gas outlet +11 controlled by valve A branch 43 connected to vacuum pump it and controlled by valve 45 is also provided. whereby the system may be maintained under either pressure or vacuum.

, The pipe 24 is controlled by valve 37.

15 Referring back to the air condenser 30, it is provided with a series of aerial baflles 48, mounted on suitable open-ended air pipes extending through the walls of the condensers and controlled by the air If desired, steam may be,introd'u'ced into the pipe 21 through lines 49 and 50 having throttle valve 51, pressure "gauge 52 and connected to the perforated pipe 53 located 2 in the pipe 24. which is surrounded by a furnace 54 which furnace is heated by suitable S burners. Perforatedpipe 53 has perfora- .tions' 56-which may be controlled by the rotary sleeve valve operating from the hantile 58. If desired, a pyrometer may be inserted in the pipe 24 at the point marked 55. Similarly, the perforations 59 in the pipe 8 may be controlled by therotary sleeve valve (:10 having handle 61.

In the operation of the process a superatmospheric pressure may be maintained throughout the system. During one operation, a body of oil is introduced to the still and this oil is heated to a temperature of say 800 F, the generated vapors serving.

[ to maintain a pressure throughout the system byvalves, which will be later described. The vapors from the vapor space in the still may pass through the outlet pipe 19 into the reflux condenser 22, in which condenser their path. of travel is obstructed and the passage confined or restricted, the unc-on-' I densed vapors from the reflux condenser passing through the pipe 33, through the open valve 36, the pipe 32, the open valve 38,

and into the water condenser 20 disposed 'within' the receptacle 20'. -While passing through this water condenser, the vapors are condensed under a superatmospheric pressure, and the pressure distillate-is collected in the receiver communicating with the condenser. The pressure is maintained on the condenser, and on the entire system, including the reflux condenser 22,by means 00 of the valves ,42 and 45. The reflux condensate produced inthe reflux condenser 22 vreturns to the still 1, where it is retreated by dropping back tlirough the line 19. It will be appreciated that when the process is operated in the manner hereinbe'fore described, only the reflux condenser 22 is being used. and the pipes 24, 23, 29, and the condenser 30 are cut out of the system, thereby permitting the vapors to pass directly from the reflux condenser through the lines 33 and 32 to the final water condenser. ()bviously, by a proper manipulation of the various valves hereiubeforereferred to, the passage of the vapors can be so diverted as to pass through the different pipes or conduits, and the reflux condenser 22 can be by-passed when desired.

A process may also be operated as follows: The reflux condenser 22 may be cut out of the system, and only the condenser 30 used, in'which case. the valves 26, 27, 28 and 36 will be closed and the valves 25, 31, 35 and 38 opened. The same pressure as heretofore mentioned may be maintained on the system.

The subject matter claimed in this application relates specifically to the treatment of vapors in the reflux condenser 22, the temperature of which condenser is controlled through the agency of the controlling I ciently cracked vapors are separated from the gasoline-like vaporsby condensing said heavier vapors through their retarded flow through the reflux condenser, Without condensing the lighter vapors. The heavier condensed vapors are returned to the still for retreatment, while the vapors pass ,off to a condenser for condensation and collection.

I claim as my invention 1. Theprocess of producing gasoline-like )roducts from heavier hydrocarbons of a boiling point higher than gasoline, consisting in subjecting the heavier h 'drocarbons to a cracking temperature whie in astill to decompose the same, in permitting an expansion of generated vapors in a suitable vapor sp ce, in'passing the vapors from said vapo space through a passageway to a reflux condenser located away from the still, in causing a retarded flow of the vapors in .a restricted stream through said reflux condenser, in separating. the heavier v insufficiently cracked vapors from the gaso- 11 line-like vapors by condensing said substantially heavier vapors during their retarded flow through the reflux condenser without substantially condensing the gasoline-like vapors, by maintaining the tem- 12 perature of .thereflux condenser such 'as to condense the vapors that do not have a. sufficiently low-boiling point by the application of a temperature controlling medium to said reflux condenser. in recracking the 1 reflux coridensate, in discharging the uncondensed gasoline like vapors from the reflux condenser to a final condenser Without again admitting said vapors to the cracking still, in collecting the condensed gasolinelike oil, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing distillation in the still, and on the vapors While in the vapor space and during their retarded travel through the reflux condenser and while in the final condenser.

2. The process of producing gasoline-like products from heavier hydrocarbons of a boiling point higher than gasoline, consisting in subjecting the heavier hydrocarbons to a cracking temperature while in a still to decompose the same, in permitting an expansion of generated vapors in a suitable vapor space, in passing the vapors from said vapor space through a passageway to a reflux condenser located away from the still, in causing a retarded flow of the vapors in a restricted stream through said reflux condenser, in separating the heavier insufiiciently cracked vapors from the gasolinelike vapors by condensing said substantially heavier vapors during their retarded flow through the reflux condenser without substantially condensing the gasoline-like vapors, by maintaining the temperature of the reflux condenser such as to condense the vapors that do not have a sufliciently low boiling point by the application of a temperature controlling medium to said reflux condenser, in 'recracking the reflux condensate, in discharging uncondensed gasoline-like vapors from the reflux condenser to a final condenser without again admitting said vapors to the cracking still, in collecting the condensed'gasoline-like oil, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing distillation in the still and on thevapors while in the vapor space and during their retarded travel through the reflux condenser.

3. A process of producing gasoline-like products from heavier hydrocarbons of a boiling point higher than gasoline consisting in subjecting the heavier hydrocarbons to a cracking temperature while in a still to decompose the same, in permitting an expansion of generated vapors in a suitable vapor space, in passing the vapors from said vapor space through a passageway to a reflux condenser located away from the still, in causing a retarded flow of the vapors in a confined stream through said reflux condenser, in separating the heavier insufliciently cracked vapors from the gasoline-like vapors by condensing said substantially heavier vapors during their retarded flow through the reflux condenser without substantially condensing the gasoline-like vapors, by maintaining the temperature of the reflux condenser such as to condense those vapors which do not have a sufliciently low boiling point by the application of a temperature controlling medium to the reflux condenser, in maintaining a superatmospheric vapor pressure on the oil during distillation, and on the vapors in the vapor space and in the reflux condenser, in recracking the reflux condensate, in 'discharging uncondensed gasoline-like vapors from the reflux condenser to a final condenser without again admitting said vapors to the cracking still, and in collecting the condensed gasoline-like oil from said final condenser.

' CARBON P. DUBBS. 

